Question

What happens to an object's g.p.e. store and kinetic energy when it falls?

Answer 1

Answer/ Explanation: When an object falls, its gravitational potential energy (G.P.E.) store decreases while its kinetic energy increases.

1. Gravitational Potential Energy (G.P.E.): G.P.E. is the energy an object possesses due to its position in a gravitational field. As an object is lifted higher from the ground, its G.P.E. increases because it gains potential energy. This potential energy is stored in the object and can be released or converted to other forms of energy.

2. Kinetic Energy: Kinetic energy is the energy possessed by an object due to its motion. When an object falls, its potential energy is gradually converted into kinetic energy. As the object moves closer to the ground, its potential energy decreases, and its kinetic energy increases. The conversion of potential energy to kinetic energy is a result of the force of gravity acting on the object and accelerating it downwards.

To better understand this concept, let's consider an example: Imagine a ball is held at a height. At this point, it has a certain amount of potential energy due to its elevated position. When the ball is released, gravity pulls it downwards, and as it falls, its potential energy decreases. At the same time, its speed and motion increase, resulting in an increase in kinetic energy. The energy that was stored as potential energy is now transferred to kinetic energy, reflecting the ball's movement and velocity.

In summary, when an object falls, its gravitational potential energy decreases as it moves closer to the ground. At the same time, its kinetic energy increases as it gains speed and motion. The energy transformation from potential energy to kinetic energy is a fundamental principle in understanding the behavior of falling objects.

Answer 2

When an object falls under the influence of gravity, several changes occur in its energy:

Gravitational Potential Energy (GPE) Decreases: As the object descends, its height above the ground or reference point decreases. Gravitational potential energy is directly related to an object's height in a gravitational field. Therefore, as the object falls, its GPE decreases because it is moving closer to the Earth's surface.

Kinetic Energy (KE) Increases: As the object falls, it gains speed and velocity due to the acceleration caused by gravity. Kinetic energy is directly related to an object's velocity and mass. Therefore, as the object falls, its kinetic energy increases because it gains velocity and momentum.

Total Mechanical Energy (TME) Remains Constant: In the absence of external forces like air resistance (in a vacuum or idealized conditions), the total mechanical energy of the falling object remains constant. This is a consequence of the law of conservation of energy. The sum of its gravitational potential energy and kinetic energy at any point in its fall remains the same, assuming no energy is added or lost from external sources.

The relationship between GPE and KE during free fall can be described by the principle of conservation of mechanical energy, which states that the total mechanical energy of a closed system remains constant unless acted upon by external forces. This principle is valuable for understanding the behavior of objects in gravitational fields and is often used in physics to analyze the motion of falling objects.